The Digital Press

A pioneering poker AI named Orac challenged top pros like Doyle Brunson and Tom McEvoy at the 1984 WSOP, predating later famous poker bots by decades. Mike Caro’s early 1980s program used an Apple II Plus with optical card scanning and basic AI strategies to compete live.

Why it matters: Orac is the earliest known AI poker challenge, showing machine-human competition began well before modern AI poker bots.

The big picture: The 1984 event foreshadowed decades of AI development in poker, from simple programs to today’s advanced neural networks.

The stakes: Despite hype, Orac lost to McEvoy and split with Brunson, highlighting early AI’s strategic limits against top pros.

Commenters say: Readers appreciate the historical insight, noting the forgotten legacy of Orac and Caro’s tech foresight in poker AI history.